


Fireworks

by uhpockuhlipz



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 09:50:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13097568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uhpockuhlipz/pseuds/uhpockuhlipz
Summary: Due to a strange series of events, Lena is left wondering if she and Kara have been dating all along.Supergirl secret santa prompt fill!





	Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AsCaptainIAmGoingDownWithMyShips](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsCaptainIAmGoingDownWithMyShips/gifts).



> This is my prompt fill for my Supergirl Secret Santa! It's been a fun event. Happy holidays, everyone!

When Lena first introduces her to Sam Arias, Kara doesn’t know what to think. Lena had made a point of saying that she doesn’t really have friends outside of Kara, that she isn’t used to having people in her life who care, who are there for her, who trust her. And yet when she introduces them, it’s very clear that Sam does, and that Lena likes and trusts her in turn. Kara shakes her hand and offers a smile, all the while wondering who this woman is and how she and Lena know each other.

 

Snapper pitches a two-part interview on the transitions taking place in both Catco and L-Corp and Kara sees it as the perfect opportunity. She wants to get to know Sam better, and more, she wants to make sure Lena’s faith is not misplaced. After all, she doesn’t have a stellar track record with the people in her life and if Sam is going to be just one more person to add to the list of people who’ve broken Lena’s heart, Kara wants to know about it ahead of time so that she can handle it. Quietly. Discreetly.

 

And with her fists if necessary.

 

When she settles down across from Sam at the desk that used to be Lena’s, however, it’s obvious she won’t have to do any of that. Sam is pleasant, if a bit unused to being interviewed. A few questions in and it’s clear she’s smart and capable, just the kind of person Kara would expect Lena to bring on as her own replacement. She doesn’t see in her the sly manipulation of Rhea or the cold, cutting disregard of Lillian. There’s no crazy glint like she expects would be in Lex’s eyes if she ever met him and a quick x-ray scan shows that she’s not made up of tiny, murderous robots. All in all, she’s a big improvement on Lena’s usual taste in people.

 

When she finishes going through her list of questions, Kara closes her notebook and tucks it back into her bag, smiling across at Sam and waving off her mouthed apology as the other woman listens to someone on the other end of the phone line. She lets her eyes wander while she waits and they land on a framed photograph of Sam with a young girl. Her daughter, she realizes.

 

“She’s beautiful,” she says as Sam hangs up again, clarifying who she means with a tap of her finger against the frame when Sam gives her a baffled look. And if she’d had any doubt before about Sam, they’re gone in the wake of the expression that takes her over now. There’s so much _love_ there and Kara feels herself relax. There’s no way someone capable of loving another human being that much could ever be capable of doing to Lena what others had done. It just isn’t possible.

 

“Thanks,” Sam says, studying the picture as well. “She really is, huh? Her name’s Ruby.”

 

“Yeah, Lena’s mentioned her.”

 

“She would,” Sam says with a little laugh, shaking her head. “She was always really good with her when I was interning at LuthorCorp. She’s the one who convinced her brother to let me bring Ruby in with me when I couldn’t find a sitter.”

 

“You interned at LuthorCorp? Is that how you and Lena met?”

 

“Mhm. Well. Yes and no. Did she not tell you about that?” When Kara shakes her head, Sam rolls her eyes a little and tells Kara how she had been in some classes at MIT with Lena, and how Lena – despite being a handful of years younger and not as involved as Lex in the company – had been the one to recommend Sam for an open position interning with LuthorCorp.

 

“We weren’t friends, but we were friendly,” she goes on. “And she absolutely loved Ruby. I was a young, single mom, you know? Trying to raise a kid and put myself through school, trying to do this internship that was kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, blah blah. And I came in one day with Ruby in tow because my sitter had canceled on me last minute. Tried to work without anyone realizing she was there, but she’s always been kind of demanding.” She shrugs in a what-can-you-do sort of gesture. “And then in comes Lena Luthor.” Sam laughs a little. “I was practically crying trying to explain why my kid is sitting there next to my desk and Lena just… reaches out a hand, asks Ruby if she wants to do a science experiment. They disappeared until the end of the work day. Came back at exactly five and Lena kicks me out, tells me to go home and be with my daughter.”

 

The story makes Kara smile, small and soft. Her heart warms because, yeah, it’s just the sort of thing she’d expect Lena to do. She wouldn’t expect praise for it, wouldn’t do it to get in anyone’s good books. It would have purely been because she was trying to help.

 

“So how long have you and Lena been a thing?” Sam asks. Distracted, surprised to have a question turned back on her, Kara tries to think of how long they’ve been friends. It had happened pretty fast and she hadn’t really expected it. They’d just clicked, right from the very first interview, and when Lena’s innocence had been proven, they’d sort of fallen into a natural rhythm. Having Lena as part of her life is easy, important. Right. She doesn’t ever want to lose her.

 

“Um... almost a year now, I guess,” Kara muses, surprised by the number. She isn’t sure if it feels like a longer or shorter amount of time. In some ways, the year had passed so quickly, like they’d skipped through half of it until the full thing went by. In others, it feels like she and Lena had known each other forever. Lena’s become such a fixture in her life that Kara can’t imagine it without her anymore.

 

“Wow, a year? That’s a big milestone.”

 

Kara thinks of how hard it is for Lena to keep people in her life and can’t help but agree. “Hoping for a lot more years,” she says and Sam smiles across at her.

 

“I’m sure you’ll get them.” The phone on her desk goes off again and she sighs, head shaking. “I’m really sorry, Kara, but I have to take this. It was great talking with you though.”

 

“You too,” she agrees. “We’ll do it again some time, without the notebook.” She stands and they shake hands as Sam lifts the receiver to her ear.

 

Kara leaves the familiar office with Lena on her mind.

 

//

 

“I know, I know. I’m late again, I’m sorry. Ruby had to-”

 

Lena holds up a hand to cut Sam off mid-sentence, a smile tugging at her lips. “You’re right on time. Don’t worry about it.” She holds out a hand and Sam hands her the file she’d been waiting on, which Lena opens and sets on the closest empty desk.

 

She doesn’t mind Sam being late. Running L-Corp isn’t easy and it had taken Lena a long time to figure out how to balance personal life with professional. Not that she’d had much of one to balance. Really it had just been Kara, and finding time for Kara was surprisingly easy.

 

Thinking of her now, she looks back at Sam, studies her as her across the desk as she flops into a chair.

 

“How’d your interview with Kara go?” she asks.

 

“Oh, that was great. Easiest part of my day really. She’s really sweet, Lena. I can see why you like her.”

 

“Mm. Yes, she’s great,” Lena agrees, smiling to herself as she flicks through the pages of the report Sam had brought her. “I was her first real interview, did you know that?”

 

“No. Is that how you two met?”

 

Lena laughs a little, thinking back to that time Kara had trailed her into her office following Clark Kent and his questions about the explosion that had been meant to kill her. “No, not exactly,” is all she says, shaking her head. She’s still laughing, but it’s with fondness now. Even then she’d felt that tug towards Kara, as if something in Lena had recognized something in her, something that was made for her.

 

“But it must’ve been around the time you started dating,” Sam muses. “You’ve only been in National City a year and Kara said you’ve been together for nearly that.”

 

Lena freezes, her eyes slowly lifting to focus on Sam again. “I’m sorry, what?”

 

“You and Kara?” Sam raises her eyebrows, amusement obvious in her small smile. “Was I not supposed to know about that? Because I’ve got to tell you, Lena, neither of you are exactly subtle.”

 

Reeling, Lena continues to stare at Sam, her mind moving a million miles an hour. “And Kara told you we’re-- together?” She almost chokes on the word, afraid of its implications.

 

Sam’s forehead creases. “Yeah.”

 

“For almost a year?”

 

“Yes?”

 

But… they aren’t. They aren’t dating. Lena is almost sure that Kara’s feelings for her are strictly platonic and she’s been reminding herself of that fact off and on for nearly the entire time they’ve been friends. And now Sam is here telling her that Kara’s the one who told her that they’re… but they aren’t! That’s something they’d have talked about. That’s something she’d _know._ She knows that she’s kind of oblivious at times, but Lena is certain that dating someone – dating _Kara_ – is something she’d know.

 

Beyond confused, Lena shuts the file and scoops it up again, swinging her jacket off the back of her chair as she does so. Sam looks startled and Lena winces, shooting her an apologetic look. “Sorry, I just remembered I have to do something. I’m going to review this at home and shoot you an email in the morning, alright? Goodnight, Sam.” She gives her a small wave and then she’s all but out the door.

 

Lena leaves the increasingly familiar office with Kara on her mind.

 

//

 

Kara is surprised when she opens the door and finds Lena standing there. She looks out of breath and slightly disheveled, which isn’t like her and makes Kara kind of nervous. “Lena, hi. Are you okay?”

 

“You told Sam we’re dating,” Lena says without a greeting, stepping inside past a suddenly wide-eyed Kara. Kara follows quickly, watches as Alex stands up from the couch with her hands shoved in her pockets and eyebrows raised. Lena winces at the sight of her, but she only offers a hello and Kara can’t help but be impressed by that cool professionalism she always seems to exude, even in the face of such a strange opening sentence that was obviously meant ot be the start of a private conversation.

 

“Hey, Lena,” Alex returns, something like a smirk tugging at her lips. “I think that’s my cue.” She grabs her coat and shrugs it on, pats Kara’s shoulder almost bracingly as she passes. Kara shoots her a pleading look which Alex pointedly ignores as she waves back at them. “Night, kids.” And then she’s gone.

 

Kara turns back to Lena and _damn_ it, she can feel the crinkle working its way into her forehead. She lifts a hand to rub at it, as if that can eradicate all the confusion and-- whatever else she’s feeling. “Um, I definitely didn’t tell Sam anything like that,” she says at last, because Lena is just staring at her and it’s starting to worry her a little.

 

“She says that you told her we’ve been together almost a year.”

 

“I-- as friends! I said we’ve been friends almost a year.” At least, she’s pretty sure she said that… She rubs at the offending crinkle again.

 

“Just friends?” Lena clarifies.

 

“Just friends,” Kara confirms. “I think we’d know if we were dating.”

 

Lena tips her head, considers Kara from across the room. There’s a lot of space between them, she realizes. There’s never that much space between them.

 

“Maybe we should be.”

 

“Should be what?” Kara asks, distracted still by her previous thought. Lena gives her a soft smile.

 

“Dating, Kara.”

 

The words snap Kara out of her thoughts and her eyes snap up again to meet Lena’s. There’s no humor there, no laughter teasing her lips. She isn’t joking. Lena just suggested that they should be dating and she isn’t joking and _oh,_ Kara thinks, _so that’s what this is._

 

Because it occurs to her when Lena says it that the idea strikes home. It’s like everything between them suddenly makes sense in a way Kara couldn’t articulate before, like this is where they’d always been headed. Suddenly every moment between them is clarified, from the way Kara’s stomach had gone crazy when Lena had confessed to sending all of those flowers to the warmth she felt when they sat together on her couch with wine and Netflix.

 

Rao, it all makes sense, and Kara wants to kick herself for being so stupid.

 

“Maybe you’re right,” she agrees. “Maybe we should.”

 

They step in together, closing the distance between them until Kara can reach up and brush her fingertips along Lena’s cheek. Lena’s hand lifts, her fingers curling around Kara’s wrist to hold her just there, pulse beating beneath her hold. She leans in and Lena tilts her chin up and oh, _oh,_ they’re kissing and it’s such a stupid way for Kara to realize that they should’ve been doing this all along, but there it is.

 

A silly miscommunication and for the first time in her life, Kara suddenly sees those fireworks people talk about when they talk about kissing someone worth kissing.

 


End file.
